Janggeum’s Dream: Episode 43 Commentary

To a Cherished One

This episode has to be the most lost I’ve been watching an episode due to the language barrier. Not all was lost, though, as Yeonsaeng took center stage a good portion of the episode.

The only interesting thing I found worth observing would be the scenes with Geum-yeong. Lady Choe gave her what I assume to be a really, really good dough press, which imprints a fancy design worthy of being presented to royalty. Geum-yeong is clearly proud to receive this item, but decides to use her old press instead for King Jungjong’s meal.

Upon seeing the impression on the king’s food, Lady Choe is not happy. Jungjong may have given it a pass, but Lady Choe was expecting to see the other marking on the food. She’s going out of her way all the time to elevate Geum-yeong’s status, and at times Geum-yeong almost seems to be sabotaging her own efforts. After hearing Geum-yeong explain, though, Lady Choe seemed to be satisfied.

In the end, Geum-yeong presents a treat to Jeong-ho, a snack marked with the press Lady Choe passed on to Geum-yeong. To her, Jeong-ho is more important than the king. With Janggeum gone for so long, Geum-yeong needs to press forth, as she’s lost a lot of time already. If she wants to win Jeong-ho’s heart, she has a long way to go, and the number of remaining episodes in the series continues to grow shorter, one episode at a time.

The episode wasn’t all Geum-yeong, of course. Poor Dong-I for having to carry the pail of water. I might not know what he said to Suro moments before, but the name “Janggeum” did come up. Is it that Suro is simply quick to help someone in need, or is he beginning to look at others around him, other than Janggeum?

I know turtles eat lettuce, and I’m sure there are many other things they eat. What I didn’t know is that they eat rice. At least, Dan-I this episode looks to be eating just that. Is that really safe food for a turtle?

With the way everyone ate the dessert snacks after dinner, one after another, I half-expected them to be drugged. Sure, the lady may not have had any reason to drug the guests, but when you have no idea what’s being said or going on, you never know. After all, she could have been making an effort to cover up for Yeonsaeng having seen the boy briefly through the window just before dinner.

Continuing his duty as a soldier, when Yeonsaeng cries out upon seeing the boy’s eye as he looks in during dinner, Dong-I hurries out to investigate. Suro obviously would have done the same if he wasn’t in the middle of choking. That Dong-I will be a fine soldier.

Something I’ve noticed before is that buckets of water for anyone to drink from seem to be somewhat common. In a prior episode, Yeonsaeng (presumably) left a bucket of water out for Hwan and a couple of men he was training with. Rather, she left if out for Hwan. This episode, Yeonsaeng takes a drink of water from a similar water bucket. What’s someone do to if they’re in line to get water, and the person before them has a habit of slobbering all over the spoon? Yup, that’s a nice way to end a commentary.